Lengthenable garment



July 8, 1952 B. E. DAVENPORT LENGTHENABLE GARMENT Filed Nov. 19, 1948 FINVENTOR. Be rnice .E. Davenport Patented July 8, 1952 TUNITED- S AT SPATENT OFFICE i Bernice E. Davenport, Portland, Oreg. ApplicationNovember 19, 1948, Serial No. 60,879

2Claims. (01. 2-15) My invention pertains to children's clothing, andrelates particularlyto the novel construction of and method ofmakingatchilds garment whereby the latter may be lengthened to accommodatenormal growth of the child without producing permanent markings on thecloth or otherwise evidencing the fact that the garment has beenaltered.

During the early years when a childs growth is most rapid, it is acommon practice among mothers to purchase for their children dresses,slips and other skirt-type garments in sizes substantially longer thanimmediate-requirements dictate. The garment is then shortened by formingcircumferential hems therein which are secured in place with stitching.These hems are arranged" symmetrically and are designed to ornament thegarment in the best possible manner. the child grows in stature, one ormore of these hems or folds are eliminated by removing thestitchingwhereby the garment is made longer. This method is not-completelysatisfactory, however, for as each fold is eliminated the holes formedin the cloth by the needle and thread previously employed in thestitching do not disappear. The garment is thus marked permanently,giving visible evidence that it has been lengthened.

It is a principal object of my invention, therefore, to provide a methodof making a childs skirt-type garment whereby alterations in length maybe accommodated without permanently disfiguring the cloth or otherwisegiving evidence of such alteration.

Another important object is the provision of a childs skirt-type garmentwhich may be altered in length without disfiguring the cloth orotherwise giving visible evidence of such alteration.

A further object of my invention is to provide a childs garment in whichspaced circumferential rows of hemstitching are utilized both asornamentation and as securing means for hems or folds formedtherebetween, whereby said garment may be altered in length withoutpermanently disfiguring the cloth.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will appear fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view of a childs garment embodying thefeatures of my invention, the left hand portion showing a series ofcircumferential rows of hemstitching, and the right hand portion showingthe manner in which 2 adjacent rows of hemstitching are utilized informing folds for shortening the length of the garment; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line2-2 in Fig. 1 and showing in detail the manner in which the fold issecured in place.

The garment illustrated in the drawing for purposes of explaining thenovel features of my invention represents a childs dress, although it isto be understood that my invention isapplicable to slips and othergarments having similar features of general design. The dress showncomprises a full length body portion 1 which includes both bodice andskirt section. The usual neck opening 2 and armholes 3 are provided, aswellas the ruffled hem 4,the latter being secured to the lower edge ofthe skirt by' means of stitching 5.

A plurality of rows 6, l, 8 and 9 of hemstitching are formedcircumferentially about the lower portion of the skirt. Hemstitching, asis well known, is produced by removing or displacing a few parallelstrands of threadfrom a cloth and then'tying the cross threads intobundles. This produces a series of holes l0 separated by the smallclusters or bundles of tied threads. This is used extensively in formingornamental borders and other designs in a large variety of clotharticles. In the present invention the rows are spaced from each other adesired distance along the longitudinal dimension of the dress. Thespacing between rows may be uniform, as shown, or they may be irregular.It is to be noted, referring particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawing, thatthe distance between cooperating pairs of hemstitched rows is equal toone-half of the width of l the fold I l to be formed as is explainedmore fully hereinafter.

In shortening the overall length of the dress, the material lyingbetween adjacent pairs of hemstitched rows is gathered outwardly andfolded together in back-to-back relationship.- The adjacent rows ofhemstitching are thus brought into registration with the holes l0arranged therein in cooperative alinement. A thread I2 is then stitchedlongitudinally along the hemstitching,

and because of the holes l0 and the clusters or bundles of thread lyingbetween said holes, the stitching thereafter removed is not noticeable.

That is, the thread bundles do not evidence the piercing produced by thestitched thread as would a flat woven fabric.

In the illustration shown in the drawing it is to be observed that thefour rows of hemstitching more folds is desired, a greater number oforna-.

mental hemstitch rows may be formed in the garment. Since the four rowsillustrated are spaced'apart equal;distances, the two. folds willlikewise'be spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width ofthe fold. If it is desired to have the folds overlap or to be spacedcloser together than shown, the spacing between rows:

7 and 8 may be adjusted to produce this result.

In any event, it is to be noted that-- symmetry of ornamental design ismaintained regardless-10f the number of hemstitch rows and of thelocation of the folds. constructed so as to simulate rufiles and therebyenhance the appearance ofithe garment.

When'it is desired to lengthen the'dress to accommodate growth of thewearer, gone onmore foldsare eliminated by removing the'thread l2from-the cooperating rowsof hemstitching. Since the thread has been:drawn through the bundles of thread between holes 10, its removaLmerelybrings the hemstitchinggin-t view. Thus, the dress--is lengthenedwithout causing ipermanentmarkingof the clothwhich would give visibleevidence that, the garment had been altered. I

Although-I have described the features of my invention; as applied tothevskirt-type garments of small-growingchildrenit is to ,beunderstoodthat'theinven-tion is adaptablewith-equal success to thegarments; ofadults. Ordinarily, the garmentsof adults are discardedzbefore changesin lengthbeeome necessary, andtherefore the features embodying myinvention are applied-principally to thewclothes of the: rapidly growingchild. Iclaimz. My V H 1. A garment-comprising a cloth skirt, at-leastone; cooperating pair of spaced rows of o rna-' mentalahemstitchingwformed. circumferentially about said skirt,said'eooperatingrows being in alinem'ent ar din overlying; complementaryregis tration one with another,-a thread stitehedtlongi tudinallythroughsaid registering rows and se-= 4 curing the same together with a fold inthe cloth lying therebetween, whereby to produce shortening of thelength of said garment, said stitched thread being removable from saidrows for eliminating said fold, whereby lengthening of said garment iseffected without giving visible evidence without giving visible evidenceof the alteration. 2. A selectively lengthenable cloth garment, om r s as rt h vin a lurali y Qiparaliai spaced rows of ornamentalhem'stitchijng formed circumferentially thereabout, each"such" rowincluding a series of holes separated by small bundles of tied threads,at least one pair of said parallel rows being in direct overlyingabutment one with another, the material between said pair ofrows-beingiolded on a circumferential line intermediatesaid pair toregister the same in Moreover, the folds maybe-:-

abutment, and a thread means stitched longitudinally down said abuttingand registering rows of hemstitching and through abutting ones of saidsmall bundles of tied threads temporarily to interlace and fix said rowsin abutment with said folded material. pendent therefronrsaid garmentbeing lengthenable with no visible evidence of alteration by removingsaid thread means from said bundles of tied threads and opening saidfolded space.

BERNICE E, DAVENPORT.

REFERENCES. CITED 7 The following references areiof record in the fileof this patent:

UNITEDJ'STATES" PATENTS

